Is Breast Tenderness A Sign Of Pregnancy?

Updated on September 8, 2018

Most women experience breast tenderness at some point in their lives. Breasts may feel achy, have shooting pains, or simply feel full and heavy. Sore breasts typically occur due to hormonal fluctuations.

Causes Of Breast Tenderness

OvulationIt is normal for a woman to experience breast tenderness after ovulation, and most of the time breast tenderness after ovulation is due to hormonal changes. During this time, an increase in the hormone progesterone, which is produced by the corpus luteum (the area in the ovary where the egg originated) can cause achy or sore breasts.

PregnancyBreast soreness due to pregnancy rarely, if ever, occurs before missing a period. It is often one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. If you missed your period and you have breast tenderness, it makes sense to do a pregnancy test.